Clinching apparatus



Aug. 4, 1964 v -r. F. TRIBE: 3,143,095

CLINCHING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 25. 1961 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l ,fl 145MAug. 4, 1964 1'. F. TRIBE CLINCHING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledAug. 25.1961

lllllll I l l l ll United States Patent Office 3,143,095 Patented Aug.4, 1 964 3,143,095 CLENCIflIN'G APPARATUS Thomas Francis Tribe, CastleMill Works, Dudiey, England, assignor of one-half to British FederalWelder and Machine Company Limited Filed Aug. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 133,364Claims priority, application Great Britain Aug. 30, 1960 4 Claims. (Cl.11354) This invention concerns apparatus for bending over and clinchingthe upstanding marginal flange of one sheet metal panel (eg the outerpanel of a vehicle door) over the margin of another sheet metal panel(eg the inner panel of the door).

According to this invention the bending-over (or preforming) operationand the clinching operation are performed in sequence by a pre-formingmember and a clinching member respectively each of which is movabletowards and away from the margin of the sheet metal panel to beclinched, the pre-forming member being movable with the clinching memberand is also movable, independently of the clinching member, in adirection substantially normal to the direction of movement of saidmember for performing the pro-forming operation.

A practical application of the present invention will now be described,by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawingswhereof:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the apparatus at the end of the clinchingoperation,

FIG. 2 is a view of a part of the apparatus of FIG. 1, to a larger size,at the commencement of the pre-forming operation, and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the apparatus on completionof the pre-forming operation.

Referring to FIG. 1: the apparatus comprises a frame 5 on which ismounted a bed or cradle 6 upon which the panels 7, S are placed one uponthe other. As more particularly shown in FIG. 2 the lower panel 7 has anupstanding marginal flange 9 which is to be bent inwardly to overlie themargin 10 of the upper panel 8. This is the pro-forming operationreferred to above. Thereafter the pro-formed flange 9 is pressed downupon the margin 19 and clinched thereto. The pro-forming operation iscompleted before the clinching operation is commenced.

Reverting to FIG. 1: a pillar 11 is mounted on frame 5 and carries apair of parallel links 12 which are directed substantially horizontallytowards the cradle 6. A connector bar 13 is carried by links 12, thelatter being pivoted to the pillar 11 and to the bar 13 for Verticalmovement. A beam 14 is carried by the bar 13 and in turn supports aclinching member 15.

A hydraulic motor, in the present example in the form of a jack 16, ispivoted to a bracket 17 descending from the frarne 5 and the ram-rod 18of the jack 16 is pivotally connected to the bar 13, at 19.

The under surface of the beam 14 is provided with transverse slideways20 (FIG. 2) to carry the pro-forming member 21 and there is a carrier 22secured to the beam 14 to support a hydraulic motor in the form of ajack 23, the ram 24 of which engages the rear face of the member 21. Thehydraulic jack 23 moves the member 21 cross-wise of the beam 14 andnormal to the direction of movement of the beam, i.e., horizontally incontradistinction to the vertical movement of the beam 14 and clinchingmember 15.

The front of the member 21 is provided with a down wardly inclined face25. The face is preferably inclined at about 45. The cradle 6 carries aplurality of spaced blocks 26 each having a surface which iscorrespondingly inclined to the face 25. It is arranged that when thebeam 14 is fully raised and the member 21 is fully advanced by thehydraulic jack 23 (i.e. is in its extreme right-hand position) the heel27 of the face25 overlies at least the upper edges 28 of the blocks 26with the result that if member 21 is lowered face 25 co-acts with blocks26 whereby member 21 is retracted, i.e., moved towards the left.

The apparatus may be used in two ways of which the preferred function isillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

While the beam 14 is in its uppermost position the member 21 is fullyadvanced by the jack 23. Thereafter hydraulic jack 16 is actuated tolower the beam 14. Accordingly the members 15, 21 are moved downwardlyat the same time. The member 21 is thus brought to the position shown inFIG. 2 wherein the face 25 of member 21 engages the upper edge 29 offlange 9 and with continued downward movement of beam 14 the flange 9 isbent by the inclined face 25 to overlie the margin 10 of panel 8-seeFIG. 3. When the pre-forming operation is completed the face 25 engagesthe blocks 26.

Immediately on completion of the pro-forming operation the member 21actuates an electric switch 30 connected in circuit with a solenoid 31and a source of electric supply 32. Actuation of switch 30 energisessolenoid 31 to adjust the valve 33. Hydraulic fluid from the tank 34 issupplied by a pump 35 through the valve 33 t0 the jack 23 and the valve33 also controls flow of hydraulic fluid to the tank 34 through a drainpipe 36.

When the valve 33 is suitably adjusted fluid under pressure is suppliedto the jack 23 to advance the member 21 as above described. When thesolenoid 31 is de energised the valve 33 is set so that fluid escapesfrom the jack 23 to the tank 34 through the drain pipe 36.

It will be noted that the jack 23 is connected to the valve 33 by asupply pipe 37.

With further downward movement of the beam 14 from the position shown inFIG. 3 the face 25 co-acts with blocks 26 to retract the member 21 andthe jack 23 being connected to drain this movement is not impeded. Whenretraction of the member 21 has commenced the clinching member 15engages the bent-over flange 9 and with continued downward movement ofbeam 14 by the jack 16 the flange 9 is pressed down and clinched. Atthis time the pre-formed member continues to be retracted. The apparatuson completion of the clinching operation is shown in FIG. 1.

Thereafter the beam 14 is raised whereby switch 30 is actuated tode-energise solenoid 31 whereby Valve 33 is positioned so that pressurefluid is supplied by pump 35 to the hydraulic jack 23.

A manually adjustable needle-valve 38 may be provided in either pipe 37or pipe 36 but preferably in pipe 36. The valve 38 is adjusted tocontrol the rate at which hydraulic fluid is allowed to escape from thejack 23.

A relief valve may be provided in pipe 37 to enable escape of hydraulicfluid from the jack 23 in the event that the valve 33 does not functionsatisfactorily.

Although the valve 33 is preferably actuated electrically it mayalternatively be operated mechanically, pneumatically, or hydraulically.

In the second way in which the apparatus described may function themember 21 is in retracted position when the beam 14 is in its uppermostposition and as beam 14 is lowered the member 21 is advanced. Thepre-forming operation is performed as the member 21 is moved downwardlyand is simultaneously moved to the right and on completion of thepre-forming operation the face 25 engages the blocks 26 in the mannerdescribed above. Thereafter the valve 33 connects the jack 23 to drainso that the clinching operation may be performed in the manner describedabove.

It will be appreciated that the sequence of operations may be acombination of the two main functions described above. Anotheralternative is to advance the member 21 to bend over the flange 9 whilethe beam 14 is stationary and thereafter the beam 14 is lowered toperform the clinching operation. The member 21 is retracted prior to thecommencement of the clinching operation, preferably in the mannerindicated above.

Because the retraction of the pre-forming member is determined by thedownward movement of the clinching member 15 it can be ensured thatthere is no delay (or the delay is reduced to a minimum) in changingover from the pre-forming operation to the clinching operation. In thisway the time involved in performing the entire operation is relativelysmall.

The jack 23 may be connected to an accumulator, the fluid being forcedfrom the jack to the accumulator as the member 21 is retracted.Similarly, if the member 21 is advanced by a pneumatic jack thecompressed air may be forced back into the pneumatic system (or anaccumulator) on retraction of member 21. Of course alternatively apneumatic jack for advancing member 21 may be used with a valve 33 asdescribed above.

Also the beam 14 may be raised and lowered in any suitable mannerinstead of by a hydraulic jack e.g. mechanically or pneumatically.

I claim:

1. Clinching apparatus comprising a frame, a clinching member mounted onsaid frame, means to move said clinching member towards and away from apanel surface,

a pre-form member movably mounted on said clinching member,fluid-pressure means to advance said pre-form member substantiallynormally towards an upstanding marginal flange of the panel to bend suchflange to an acute angle to the panel surface, a stationary part on saidframe to retract the advanced pre-form member prior to engagement ofsaid clinching member with the preformed flange, and automatic controlmeans associated with said fluid-pressure means to releasefluid-pressure during the movement of said clinching and pre-formmembers towards the panel surface.

2. Clinching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said fluid-pressuremeans includes pre-form actuating means and valve means to regulatesupply of working fluid to and from said actuating means and saidcontrol means permits escape of fluid through said valve means at apre-selected position during the movement of said clinching and pro-formmembers towards the panel surface.

3. Clinching apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said control meansincludes a solenoid to adjust said valve means and an electric switch inthe solenoid circuit operated automatically at the pre-selected positionby the movement of said clinching and pre-form members.

4. Clinching apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said fluid-pressuremeans includes further valve means manually adjustable to control therate of escape of working fluid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. CLINCHING APPARATUS COMPRISING A FRAME, A CLINCHING MEMBER MOUNTED ONSAID FRAME, MEANS TO MOVE SAID CLINCHING MEMBER TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM APANEL SURFACE, A PRE-FORM MEMBER MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID CLINCHINGMEMBER, FLUID-PRESSURE MEANS TO ADVANCE SAID PRE-FORM MEMBERSUBSTANTIALLY NORMALLY TOWARDS AN UPSTANDING MARGINAL FLANGE OF THEPANEL TO BEND SUCH FLANGE TO AN ACUTE ANGLE TO THE PANEL SURFACE, ASTATIONARY PART ON SAID FRAME TO RETRACT THE ADVANCED PRE-FORM MEMBERPRIOR TO ENGAGEMENT OF SAID CLINCHING MEMBER WITH THE PREFORMED FLANGEAND AUTOMATIC CONTROL MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID FLUID-PRESSURE MEANS TORELEASE FLUID-PRESSURE DURING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID CLINCHING ANDPRE-FORM MEMBERS TOWARDS THE PANEL SURFACE.